With more than 180,000 Electric Vehicles on Australian roads, there are growing calls for businesses and community groups to install EV charging facilities across the country. I-Charge says there are a number benefits on offer to organisations in Australia that provide charging facilities at their sites.

Brisbane

With more than 180,000 electric vehicles (EVs) on Australian roads, there are increasing calls for businesses and community groups to install EV charging facilities across the country. Companies such as iCharge highlight multiple benefits for organisations that provide charging stations at their sites.

Keith Fruin, the recently retired president of Mount Petrie Bowman Archery Club, has commissioned the installation of an electric vehicle charger for club members. While not all members currently own EVs, the installation prepares the club for the future. EV purchases have more than doubled in Australia in 2023 compared to the previous year, reflecting a growing trend and demand for charging infrastructure.

Rosemary Tan, Managing Director of iCharge, notes that one in three Australians are considering buying their first EV in the next five years. The ideal ratio is one charger for every five to six EVs. As iCharge works on increasing the number of EV chargers in Australia, they also focus on educating drivers on the optimal use of these chargers. Proper EV chargers benefit the environment, the vehicle, and can be cost-effective.

The Open Charge Alliance, represented by Director Lonneke Driesen, offers a certification program to ensure the reliability and compatibility of charging systems. With increasing strain on electricity grids globally, the Alliance's mission includes ensuring charging system compatibility and driver data protection.

Despite EVs constituting just over 9% of new car registrations in Australia, Hong Kong serves as an example with over 60% of new cars being EVs. Rosemary Tan points to the lessons learned from Hong Kong regarding grid management and user-friendly charging experiences. iCharge, in collaboration with Dacheng Hong Holdings, has successfully rolled out over 80 smart charging ports across Hong Kong, significantly increasing user numbers.

The push for more EV chargers in Australia is supported by figures like Keith Fruin, who see the importance of these facilities for the future. Fruin emphasizes the responsibility to maintain these facilities for years to come and encourages Australian businesses to participate in the EV revolution. 



Calls for businesses to accelerate EV charging network rollout

Keith Fruin always strives to hit the target. Most people who take up archery don't realise how competitive they are. Now the recently retired president of Mount Petrie Bowman Archery Club is doing his bit to help Australia reach its net zero target after commissioning the installation of an electric vehicle charger for the club's members. Not everybody yet has got an EV vehicle of course, but they know that when they do get one they've got somewhere to come. According to the latest figures, there are now more than 180,000 electric vehicles on Australian roads, with EV purchases more than doubling in 2023 compared to the year before. Every day I see more and more electric vehicles on the road, which is fantastic. Rosemary Tan is Managing Director of charging company iCharge. One in three Australians are considering buying their first EV in the next five years. We also know that the golden ratio is one charger to five to six EVs. As Rosemary and her team work to increase the number of EV chargers in Australia, they say attention must also be focused on making sure drivers know how to best use them. When it comes to driving an EV, your battery is your most important asset, and not all chargers are created equal. The best EV chargers are good for the planet, good for your car, and good for your hip pocket. Lonneke Driesen is Director of the Open Charge Alliance, an organisation that offers a rigorous certification programme to charging companies around the world. Basically what it does is an independent test lab, tests your implementation and checks if you've done everything properly, just sort of like an audition to see if you can actually sing. With more and more pressure being put on electricity grids worldwide, the Open Charge Alliance's mission is increasingly focused on ensuring different charging systems are compatible and adaptable, and the driver's data is protected now and into the future. In this new industry there's of course a lot that still needs to be developed, a lot of improvement is still needed. While just over 9% of new cars registered in Australia are EVs, in Hong Kong it's more than 60%. And after spending much of the past decade rolling out chargers there, Rosemary Tan says Australia can learn a lot from Hong Kong's experience. In 2016 Elon Musk called Hong Kong the beacon city for EV. Since then we learned so much about how best to manage the grid demand, as well as make the entire EV charging experience user-friendly for the drivers. Working with iCharge, one of Asia's biggest companies, Dacheng Hong Holdings is rolling out more than 80 smart charging ports across its Hong Kong locations. Since we started offering EV charging here at our logistic hub two months ago, we've seen incredible growth. We've gone from having around 200 drivers using the chargers to now more than 3,200. It's that same big picture thinking experts say is now needed by businesses here. Get on board and participate in the successful EV revolution in Australia. And when it comes to the benefits, Keith Fruin says offering EV charging to his archery club members is an important arrow in his quiver. We have a duty to make sure that these facilities remain for many, many years. So we're trying to be responsible. Simple as that.

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